What is Industrial
Industrial hygiene is becoming a
very important concern for many companies in the Greater Toronto Area. With new
changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act further limiting workers'
exposure to dangers in the workplace, industrial hygiene is more important than
Industrial hygiene is defined as
the prevention of work-related illnesses by recognizing, evaluating and
controlling the known risks in the workplace. In most cases industrial hygiene
also includes preventing dangers to the surrounding community as well.
A company's level of industrial
hygiene is often linked to the worker's well-being in the environment as well
as being an important element in forming public perception of the company.
Industrial hygiene is usually
categorized into the following areas, each of which should be tested
individually to ensure compliance using the National Institute of Occupational
Safety and Health methods:
The two major factors of the workplace environment that are
assessed include indoor air quality
and indoor noise testing
. Professional assessments will focus on measuring
these factors to ensure that your facility meets the minimum standards.
Protecting Your Company
The main role of industrial
hygiene is to ensure that workers in an indoor environment are not being
exposed to unsafe levels of contaminants that can lead to long-term illness.
Maintaining a high standard of industrial hygiene is especially important for
all commercial and industrial facilities, and different types of manufacturers.
A voluntary assessment of
industrial hygiene can be vital in protecting your company against potential
lawsuits and costly fines for violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
It can also be very reassuring knowing that your employees will be more
productive working in a safer environment.
A professional assessment will
comprehensively test the indoor
environment for the presence of known dangers and contaminants
. The indoor
air quality testing will test for things like dangerous chemicals, particulate,
mold, gases and vapors. Noise tests will ensure that the amount of noise in the
area is compliant with the revised acceptable levels. The air exchanges and
ventilation will also be examined to ensure proper circulation of fresh air in
These assessments are vital to protecting your company
against employee complaints and to ensure due diligence on behalf of industry.
A comprehensive assessment is also useful for detecting and resolving potential
issues before they pose a serious danger to employees.
Order an Assessment
The company that you choose to
perform the independent assessment should be willing to work with your company
to build a strong professional relationship. They should be both personable and
professional. These assessments should be repeated annually, so it pays to
trust a company that will become familiar with your company and the equipment
in the workplace. Subtle touches like a willingness to travel across Ontario
for a consultation can go a long way to developing strong business
the safety of your employees and the workplace environment by having a
professional industrial hygiene assessment completed today.